The present invention refers to a paint composition which is useful as an insecticide and in controlling pests and which is non-toxic to humans and pets. The paint composition is used in the control of pests such as for example, insects, mites and other organisms including those implicated in the transmission of endemic diseases such as malaria or paludism and other common diseases and also those causing allergies. The paint composition of the invention effectively inhibits synthesis of chitin in arthropods and similar organisms during all stages of the biological cycle from egg to adult; additionally, the paint composition acts as a sterilizing agent for adult females.
More particularly, the invention relates to a paint composition which comprises, resins, pigments, a carrier and active compounds which are micro-encapsulated in resin polymer during the manufacturing process. Micro-encapsulation of the active compound in the paint composition provides the paint composition specifically with a residual insecticidal activity and thus continued effectiveness of the applied paint composition against arthropods and similar organisms.
Paints having insecticidal properties are known in the prior art, under the name Artilin, disclosed in the following patents: European Patent No. 871011308-2, French Pat. No. 8601516, U.S. Pat. No. 010300, Canadian Pat. No.528968.
However, the active compounds of the prior art paint compositions are not of the `new generation` type paints disclosed here, in part also because the prior art paint constituents contain active compounds such as for example, organo-chlorides which under EU regulation, are prohibited for use as pest control and as insecticides The toxic nature of organo-chlorides to warm blooded animals which includes humans has been demonstrated and is well known. Moreover, these compounds are known to be harmful to the environment.
Certain insecticidal paints traditionally used for that purpose currently on the market are formulated having pyrethroids as a basis, but their active compounds exhibit little of the specific residual efficacy which is a characteristic of the paint composition of the invention. While these traditionally formulated paints can exhibit immediate activity as insecticide, they lose their efficacy soon thereafter because they are subject to degradation by light and other environmental influences, in part due to their low photostability.